Cupid's Angel
by ChibiStarChan129
Summary: Hinata loves animals of all kinds but was never allowed to own one. On her first day of school she discovers a puppy that she takes care of each day. She thinks of Sasuke as the opposite of a cute little animal. What happens when the coldest boy in the school also finds and takes interest in this puppy unaware that Hinata does, as well. Will it bring them together or cause turmoil?
1. Her Discovery

**It's been a long time since I've written a fanfic. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do more GaaHina or try SasuHina. But I decided on SasuHina since I've never done it before. Also, I'm using third person, which I am not good at so I hope I do alright. Thanks for reading!**

**Naruto & Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Edit: I've extended it, because it was too short and didn't have enough of what I wanted for the first chapter. I also made other small changes.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Her Discovery

She always loved animals of any kind. When she saw a critter climbing up a tree, someone walking their dog, or a classmate talking about their cat, she would go into a trance - imagining herself having her own pet. Growing up in a strict household, Hinata was never allowed to own one and silently envied people who did. The girl tried to never fret about it, though. She never dared argue with her father, Hiashi. He always wanted things done a certain way and had no faith in her, so what right did she have asking for an animal? She was now starting high school and still never had a pet in her life, but by then, she had already pushed it to the back of her mind.

* * *

The quiet girl went about her morning chores around the house before leaving for her first day of high school. Hiashi had already left early for work and Hanabi was still asleep, for the elementary school started later. Hinata left some toast on the table and eggs in the microwave to keep them warm for Hanabi. Fully dressed in her new school uniform and straight, silky, indigo hair pulled into a loose side-ponytail, she walked out the door at 7 a.m. Each step closer to the high school made her more nervous. She felt that she could never fit in with people at her school. It wasn't like she wanted to be painfully shy, but that's how she was and didn't know how to get over it. However, there was one thing that made her feel excited about her first day – Naruto Uzumaki. She had had a crush on him since 1st grade and that reason motivated her each day. If he weren't around, school wouldn't have been nearly as stimulating for her. They didn't talk much, but when they did, it made her feel like she had touched the heavens.

The sun shone brightly as it peeked from behind the trees. It was going to be a beautiful day. Walking on the suburban sidewalk, Hinata contemplated to herself about ways she could carry on a conversation with someone in case she had to. It was always hard for her, especially on the first day of the school year. Later, she came to a clearing with few people and old, unused buildings; A shortcut which she had used for years. It was also very quiet and away from other classmates who walked to school. The sun reflected off of the brick buildings, making everything even more bright and warm. As she internally comforted her anxiety, she heard a small whimper coming from the bushes causing her to stop and listen once more. '_Was I just imagining it?' _she thought, but decided to check anyway.

Bending down, the girl angled her head so that she may see under the large bush as her ponytail dangled over her shoulder. What she saw was something that melted her heart – something that she had always dreamed of having. It was a little puppy, alone and scared. Its fuzzy body caught her eye. Mouth forming a warm smile, she called gently to the helpless animal, using her right hand to coax it. Hesitantly, the puppy crawled toward it and sniffed her fingers, ears folded back and tail between its legs. Hinata identified it as a Kishu, judging by its white coat and curly tail. One of her favorite things to do was read about different animal breeds. This one originated in Japan.

"Don't worry, I would never hurt you." She said softly.

'_Ah, I know.'_ She remembered that she had some anpan in her bag, believing that it may gain its trust. So grabbing the bun, she tore off a bite-sized piece, offering it to the small canine. It seemed to relax a bit, gratefully taking it. The girl giggled satisfied with its actions. Minutes passed and she had fed the whole thing to the pup, earning a friendly lick to her hand. Hinata felt overwhelming happiness, sitting there cross-legged.

Sighing, she talked to the dog. "Oh, how I wish I could take you home."

The girl had almost forgotten about school, and once realizing it, hopped up, startling the puppy. "Oh no! I-I'm going to be late!" Her eyes shifted back toward the white furball. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. If you stay here, I'll come back after school." The pup only stared at her with its round eyes in curiosity as she ran off.

* * *

The auditorium was full of chatty teens, reuniting and talking about their break. Hinata only sat in the far corner silently and nervously. There were so many people; She had almost forgotten about the number of students at school. Hinata was mostly alone throughout her break, so she just wanted this to be over. Eyes wandering the expansive room, she shifted in her seat. But then, her eyes found Naruto sitting a few rows in front of her. '_Naruto-kun…' _He always had such a lively aura and was so kind to everyone, even her - with her shy and solitary personality. The timid girl watched as the blonde boy laughed hysterically with his friends. Beside him sat a pink-haired girl known as Sakura Haruno and on the other side sat a raven-haired boy named Sasuke Uchiha.

Hinata was familiar with many of the people there, since they had attended the same schools. Sakura seemed to be annoyed with whatever it was Naruto was saying. Hinata respected Sakura, because she was also nice to her, even though she was often scary. Sasuke didn't talk much, like Hinata, but he was much more confident and much less shy. She wondered why he hung out with Naruto who was quite the opposite of him. Maybe it was for the same reason that she herself admired Naruto. Finally, the principal, Tsunade, gave a speech to the new freshman, but Hinata paid no attention. She daydreamed of the puppy that she had found, hoping that it stayed put. If it ran away, who knows what would happen to it, she worried.

"Alright! You are all dismissed to your new classroom." Announced Principal Tsunade and with that, the crowd of teens rushed toward the door. The lilac-eyed girl, wanting to avoid being caught up in the crowd, waited for everyone to leave. Once the auditorium was empty, she grabbed her bag and her school map to find her class.

* * *

"Hello, my name's Kakashi. I'll be teaching you literature… also I'll be giving you assigned seats." Looks of displeasure shown on his students' faces, but Hinata didn't care either way. It's not like she had any friends that she could to sit with. Naruto was the only person she would look forward to sitting with; however, he wasn't in her class, which made her disappointed. She would just have to wait to see him in the hallways. Each student stood up as Kakashi touched each desk, calling a name. "Choji. . . Ino. . . Sasuke. . . Hinata. . ."

She let out a sigh of relief. Her seat was in the back next to the window, her most preferred spot. There was a nice view through the window and people would take little notice of her. Hinata's main inclination was to get through each day without being acknowledged. It only made her embarrassed and uncomfortable when put in the spotlight. Once everyone had taken their seats, Kakashi talked about what to expect for the year and the rules of the classroom, which again, Hinata did not pay attention to, for her focus was outside the window. She always had a hard time keeping focused at school. Her wandering mind always got the better of her, but as she was usually unnoticed, she also never really got in trouble for it. The teacher finished his small lecture with time to spare and allowed everyone to relax.

"Sasu-ke-kun~" Immediately, girls crowded around the handsome Sasuke Uchiha who didn't give them the attention they wanted.

"Get out of my face." He commanded coldly.

The timid girl was a bit afraid of the boy who sat in front of her. In her eyes, his attitude was very unpleasant and she hoped to never get in any situation that would require her to interact with him. She had a troublesome time dealing with people who were cold and impassive – well, she had trouble dealing with anyone period. If anything, she wished she had the social skills and confidence to be able to talk to people.

* * *

That morning, she met a few of her teachers and was getting bored until the bell rang for lunch at last. Everyone got up simultaneously to leave the room and talk to friends. Where would she eat lunch? This was a new school that she knew nothing of and she had no friends that she could eat with. '_Wait, I fed my lunch to the puppy. . . I forgot.'_

Her sudden realization didn't faze her much, though. This wasn't the first time she'd made a stupid mistake. She decided to explore the school a bit since she didn't have anything to do. Getting up, the petite girl roamed the halls by herself, feeling vulnerable to everyone's piercing stares. '_I think I'll go outside. I don't really like wandering by myself with many people around.'_

Hinata quickly changed shoes at her shoe locker and turned the corner when – Oomf!

"Watch where you're going . . . stupid girl." She bumped into the intimidating Uchiha.

Sure, he had a charming face, but his attitude was much the opposite. It scared her. So, in means of quick escape, she gave him a hasty bow, "Gomen!" and ran out the door, leaving Sasuke to stand there with a nasty glare.

He didn't like her. That girl. . . he noticed her many times the previous year when no one else did. Her lack of confidence bothered him greatly. '_Why waste life on this earth on people like that?'_ He would think. Not that it was any of his concern, but when she did catch his eye, he would become irritated and he didn't know why. The boy brushed his charcoal-colored hair from his eyes, turned and walked the opposite direction, ready to meet with Naruto and Sakura for lunch.

The day was placid, but bright. Hinata chose to sit in the grass by a tree and sighed heavily. Bumping into Sasuke Uchiha was not her plan, but of course, she always did stupid things. She really did not like him. The way he acted all high and mighty made her so frustrated and that's why she always avoided him. Well, she always avoided people in general, but the Uchiha was a different story. Maybe she was a little jealous of his popularity and his morale. Maybe she yearned to be someone more confident like him, but she still didn't like his attitude.

Trying to get her mind off of that, she thought of what she could do for the puppy (if it happened to be in the same place when she got back). Hinata knew that bringing it home was out of the question, but there were ways that she could make it safer. Her stomach growled loudly and she threw her arms around it to shut it up. '_I really hope it doesn't growl during class.'_ If only she brought money for the vending machine or brought a little more than just anpan, which she fed to the puppy. Today was definitely not a good start to the school year.

* * *

Eventually, the school day ended and Hinata was on her way back home. She was extremely hungry. To hide the embarrassment of her loudly growling stomach earlier that day, she even asked one of her new teachers if she could go to the nurse, with the excuse of her stomach _hurting_. It would be bad to have people laughing at her for something like that. The girl stopped at a small convenience store after school to pick up a snack for herself, and something for her tiny friend. Her heart began to beat faster as she neared her destination. Within each beat held the excitement to see the little dog again. Once she came to that tranquil clearing, she bent down to look under the bush. _'Not there.' _She searched behind one of the old buildings. _'Not here either.' _This is when she started to panic. Staring off into space, her thoughts wandered. _'What if he ran away and got hit by a car? What if someone else found him? Animal control, maybe?'_

Before she could go on with these thoughts, she felt a pair of small sharp teeth pulling at her sock. And with that, she sighed in relief, scooping the pup up in her arms as it wagged its curly tail.

"Oh, thank goodness," she exclaimed, cuddling the fuzzy mass.

Finally, setting it down, she let her hand rummage through her bag to find some of the sausages she bought. "Here you are." She placed a small bowl down (which she also bought) and filled it. The puppy gulped it all down, happily. Hinata set down another bowl and filled it with bottled water. "I'll come back in the morning with more stuff,"

For a while, she sat with it, pet it, and played with it, but the sun was setting and her father would be home soon so she set off, giving the dog a sad goodbye. She thought, _'Maybe this year won't be so bad,_' not knowing of the events to come.


	2. His Discovery

**Sorry, the first chapter was kind of boring, but I wanted to introduce everything first. I hope this one is more exciting. Thanks again for reading it!**

**Naruto & Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

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Chapter 2: His Discovery

"Hey, Sasuke! Did you join the basketball team this year?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, then I guess I'll see you after school."

Sasuke had just signed up for basketball last week, when school started. A week later, he had an after-school meeting. In truth, he was debating whether or not he wanted to. It was kind of a pain, yet it gave him something to do. It was an experience for his first high school year. The boy dragged his feet down the hall, hands in pockets, toward the gymnasium once the last bell rang. Catching a glimpse of indigo hair, he saw the small Hinata making her way toward the shoe lockers, seeming somewhat in a hurry. Had she some place to be? He didn't care, but he kept watching.

"Oi, Hinata! You left your textbook!" hollered a familiar, lively voice. The pig-tailed girl turned with a cherry shade painted across her cheeks.

"O-oh, thank you, N-Naruto-kun!" she gently took the book from his hands, bowed and ran out the door.

Sasuke's brows furrowed in abhorrence toward her mannerisms and quickly whipped his head around. _'That girl has no backbone and just looks like a fool.' _To him, it was obvious she liked his friend, but Naruto was too dense to notice. She had no right to have a crush on one as confident as Naruto, when she herself had no self-worth. It irked Sasuke, probably more than it should have, but he just couldn't help but recognize her annoyingly modest temperament even if others did not notice her at all.

* * *

"Great first practice!" The basketball coach shouted out to the team.

The gym was filled with panting, sweaty boys. Each one made their way to the locker room, grabbing a towel. It was a refreshing feeling to Sasuke. Practice got his blood flowing; It was something he enjoyed in junior high, to get his mind off of things.

"Man, Sasuke, you were the best!" exclaimed Jugo, wiping the shining sweat from his neck.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, it's like you could read our movements before we made 'em!" cried Suigetsu as he took off his shirt.

After leaving the locker room, Sasuke changed his shoes and left the school, silently. Glancing at his watch he saw that it was getting pretty late so he decided he'd try to take a shortcut. He came to a quiet area with old buildings, taken over by shrubbery. The only sound was the croaking of frogs and passing cars from a nearby road. _'This place is crap.' _Despite his thoughts, he continued through it, bag thrown over his shoulder. While walking through the gravel, he heard a panting noise coming from a bush, causing him to stop and listen once more. Slowly, Sasuke moved toward the bush and peered over it. It was starting to get dark, so he couldn't see well. Squinting, he saw that there was something brown, which he identified as a cardboard box, and a little fuzzy creature sitting beside it.

"A puppy?" He said to himself. It looked like someone had already found it and was taking care of it secretly, considering the box, bowls, and chew toy. Sasuke stepped over to the other side of the bush to get a closer look. The little white dog barked aggressively at him, but it was hardly terrifying. The boy bent down in front of him, pulling out some of his leftover lunch which made the pup immediately interested in him, or the lunch to be precise.

"Want it?" He asked, waving it from side to side, watching its eyes follow in synch. Finally, Sasuke set it down and the puppy began munching on it. _'I wonder who it is that's taking care of you.' _He thought curiously, chin rested in his palm. Observing the set-up of the little shelter, he understood that whoever it was wasn't very smart about it, but at least they tried. Next, he pulled out a red pen and started writing a little note on the box.

'_Found your dog and gave him some food. This isn't the best place to keep him if you don't want him running away or getting caught. I suggest a pen and better shelter.'_

Petting the dog on the head, he took his leave. "Well, so much for taking a shortcut."

* * *

The last week had been sunny, which was good news for Hinata and her puppy, but that morning looked awfully cloudy. Hurrying out the door, she grabbed an umbrella so that in case it rained, she could leave it for her furry friend. For the last week, since she found him, she'd been leaving earlier so she would have more time to spend with him. Little did she know that there was a message waiting for her there.

"Arf! Arf!" The little dog greeted, wagging its tail so hard that its own bottom started to wag with it. Hinata giggled to herself and opened the umbrella. As she set it next to the cardboard box, she noticed red writing on it that wasn't there before. Her eyes widened when she read it. _'Someone actually found her puppy!?' _Well, this person must have been very nice if they hadn't reported it or taken it. She was just grateful for that. Whoever it was even gave him some food.

Picking up the puppy, she searched the area for a better place to keep him. The message was right, if someone else were to find him, they may take him, or he could get hit by a car. She spotted an old fence that surrounded an area next to one of the old buildings. There was vegetation growing all around it, but it would do. She worked at the rusty lock, opening the small gate. The grass in the boundaries of the fence was tall, so she took the time to pull at it, leaving a nice patch open for the dog. _'I can work on it a little more after school.'_ The girl wiped her forehead and scanned the area again. The outside of the fence was surrounded by bushes and tall grass, so it was hidden from view. Good.

She wondered if one of the doors of the building would open, but it wouldn't budge so she didn't bother anymore with it. Then she moved the bowls and chew toy inside as well. Before she left, she decided she'd leave her own small note for the person, in the event that they would come back. With a blue pen, she began writing a message on the cardboard box, where she had previously kept the dog, next to the preceding message left by the mysterious person.

'_Thank you very much! It was very kind of you to feed him and even leave a note. I moved him into the fence by the building if you'd like to come and visit, again!'_

* * *

Sasuke was getting more attention from the girls, that day, after they learned that he joined the basketball team. He was starting to get annoyed by the crowd and waved them off a second time. Hinata sat behind and smiled to herself, thinking about that one kind person. She hoped that he or she would come again and visit her little friend. She didn't want her puppy to be stuck with just her all the time. The clouds _had_ gotten darker and the rain started, just as she predicted. Hinata worried about the dog, but believed that he would be able to take shelter under the roof of the building, if not, under her umbrella that she left behind.

"Hinata Hyuga!" yelled Yamato-Sensei, snapping her attention back to class. She found herself being the center of attention, all students looking at her. Even Sasuke was glancing bitterly at her. The room was silent, waiting for her to speak.

Her delicate voice cut through the rough silence, "H-hai!" The small girl felt the thumping pulse through her face.

"Can you read where Nara-san left off?" The question caused her heart to jump.

". . . u-um," Sasuke started to turn away in irritation, now. "G-gomenasai . . . where are we at?"

"Paragraph three. Please follow along."

"Yes, s-sir."

Her classmates giggled at her mistake. It was uncommon for her to be called on, since no one ever noticed her, but at this time she felt so dejected and abashed. Hanging her head, she quietly read to the class with a shaky voice.

'_Stupid, pathetic girl.'_ Sasuke thought. Her personality was almost worse than the girls who crowded him each day. It got under his skin, the way she would make a fool of herself and have nothing to say for it. _'Tsch.'_

* * *

"Wow, Sasuke. You really are an honor to have on this team," began his coach, "You know you could get a basketball scholarship?"

"Yes, thank you."

He made his way outside after changing in the locker room. It was getting dark, again, even chilly after the rain. As he walked down the street, he saw that one place he'd went to the day before. _'Has that person seen my message?' _He wasn't planning on going that way again, but his curiosity took over and led him back to that deserted little plot. The soil was soggy from the rain and drops of water sprayed everywhere when he brushed against that one bush, trying to step over it.

'_So they did listen. The dog's gone.' _Turning, he almost left without seeing the note left on the sodden box. His eyes narrowed and he got closer a second time. It was barely legible, but he was able to make out what the blue letters said.

'_Thank you very much! It was very kind of you to feed him and even leave a note. I moved him into the fence by the building if you'd like to come and visit, again!'_

This person . . . seemed so grateful to him, judging by their message. It was actually quite surprising. _'Kind? They think I'm kind? Then whoever they are, they really don't know me.' _He smirked to himself but then turned to look for the fence that the note mentioned. Sasuke padded around one of the small ghetto buildings and found the fence which surrounded one side. Peeking through the rusty wire, he saw the little dog sleeping underneath the roof with a blanket.

The person must have brought it to him for some warmth. He determined that this person really cared about this dog and was also polite, after reading the letter. Contemplating exactly what kind of person he or she could be, he decided to go to the store and get something for it too. Why was he doing this? He didn't really know, but for some reason, it amused him.

"I'll see you in a bit." He whispered to the sleeping dog.

The store was small, but there was a nice selection of pet toys. Better ones than the crappy chew toy that the mysterious person left. He was ready to get out of that store, though. It smelled and was really bright, especially on that dark, cloudy night. So, he picked out one and a bag of dog treats, smiling inwardly to himself. He thought that what entertained him most was the fact that he had no idea who the other person was. Was he or she just as bored as him?

The next morning was very clear, opposite from the day before. Hinata found the new chew toy and bag of dog treats sitting by the gate and felt an overwhelming happiness. The unknown other had come back and even left a gift.

"Looks like you've got a new friend, little guy." The girl smiled widely.

She bent down and took a closer look at what was left behind. On the back of the dog treat bag had another message written in marker.

'_So, what are you going to name him?'_

* * *

** So we know that they both hate each other, yet they're both taking care of the same puppy! . Please, let me know what you think so far. I will take every review into mind while creating the story. It will really help lead the plot into the direction that you, the readers, want. Thanks for giving this story a chance. I will take any criticism and keep your eyes open for the next chapter! I also might edit this one a little, too.**


	3. Silent Confrontation

**Having writer's block already . . . :/**

**Thank you all for your reviews, favorites, and follows! It means a lot, and I want to make each chapter pleasing for you. Enjoy! **

**Naruto & Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

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Chapter 3: Silent Confrontation

'_No, that doesn't seem fitting.' _The indecisive girl scratched another name off of her list. Setting her cheek in her left hand, she stared off into space, trying to come up with a creative name for her dog. One would think that she'd learn to pay attention in class after being humiliated in front of everyone just the day before. Hinata was different, though. Her mind just didn't want to stay put. _'Shou, Nobu, Kenji . . . no.'_

Nothing seemed right. She finally gave up and decided that she'd figure out a name for him at a later time. To her, giving a name was a serious matter. It had to be the perfect name – one that made sense, one that described him. If it wasn't the perfect name, she would rather him not have a name, at least for the time being. She thought that maybe the unknown person would be able to come up with something better and that she could respond to his or her note, asking for their suggestion. Suddenly, she caught the daunting Uchiha peeking at her list of names, in which she countered by hiding it with her arm.

Although Sasuke looked to be a sharp and accomplished guy, he was genuinely bored. He would constantly look for something to entertain himself as long as it didn't include bothersome people, and he didn't expect to find something this amusing so early in the school year. The night that he'd left the treats with the note, he was unmistakably planning to come every day after school for the sake of his pleasure. He honestly didn't want to know who the other person was, just yet, or else it would take away from his fun.

As he absorbed the day's literature lesson, sitting motionless in his seat, he sensed the girl stirring behind him. Barely noticeable, the nosy boy glanced back towards Hinata to find her briskly writing on a random scrap of paper. From what he saw, it seemed to be a list. _'What is that lousy girl up to?' _Unintentionally, he leaned closer to read what it said, but his view was immediately blocked with her dainty arm, causing his dusky eyes to meet her large, ghostly ones. The look on her face was obviously a displeased one; however, Sasuke wasn't about to back down and show his accommodating side – definitely not to her. He viewed her as a senseless, wimpy, standoffish little girl with absolutely no purpose and he wanted her to know that.

The small girl's distrusting front only provoked his taunting disposition. The dark-haired boy solely stared her down, waiting for her gaze to break. Complete and utter loathing glistened in his eyes, and it horrified Hinata. It was as if he was attacking her with his eyes, feeding off of her low self-esteem. What did he want from her? She was just minding her own business when he, without warning, gave her such a cruel and vile scowl. She only wanted to protect her personal affairs from him, yet it set off such a crude reaction. Hinata couldn't take his fowl stare any longer and looked back down at her desk in submission. At that moment, she felt like crying. What reason did he have to give her such a hateful look? What did she ever do to him to deserve it? He acted like a wolf, trying to show his dominance over her. It wasn't a normal reaction; it was one of pure hate.

Sasuke turned back toward the front of the room. Biting her lip and holding back the tears, Hinata tried to make it through class. No one else was aware of the little stare down that the two just had, even though it was so intense. Now, she just wanted class to be over and each second felt so long and painful. How could that boy sit there in front of her as if nothing happened? _'He's so horrible! I hate him!' _she screamed in her head. Never, did Hinata think she would hate someone in her life. In fact, she didn't like the thought of hating someone at all, but Sasuke Uchiha was the exception. No one has ever made her feel so dreadful.

'Briiing!' The lunch bell went off in Hinata's relief. As soon as she heard it, she hurriedly left her seat and ambled out the door. Sasuke watched as the ends of her hair disappeared around the door frame when she turned the corner. She was very much upset. _'Hmmph, serves her right.' _Her every action vexed him and he had finally communicated it to her using the hate in his eyes. It made him feel powerful, but deep inside, he felt a taste of remorse, causing him to sit at his desk a little longer than usual.

Knees against her chest and arms wrapped around them, she let out a long sigh. She sat in the courtyard by herself next to a tree. _'I won't cry. No, I'm not going to cry over something that that guy did! That's just what he wants.' _Hinata unraveled herself and leaned back to look at the deep blue sky. An image of her puppy appeared in her imagination.

"You and the mysterious person are my only friends." She said as if her little companion were there. The indigo-haired girl desperately needed some comfort and the puppy was the only thing that was able to give her that in times like those. Even thinking about her puppy comforted her. Her father and sister didn't pay attention to her so she definitely would not be comforted by them. Hinata only had two friends and one of them was someone that she'd never even met in person. It was quite sad, really, but she sucked it up and went on with her day. She wasn't about to skip class and give that Sasuke what he wanted. Hinata wanted to be strong and wanted to show him that his stupid eyes didn't scare her.

Sasuke was surprised to see the girl still in class after lunch. He was almost sure that she would be skipping or would have left after his death glare, especially after he saw her reaction to it, but there she was sitting behind him as if nothing happened. It wasn't like him to pick a fight or cause a ruckus, but there was something about her that motivated him to do it. It was her - and only her - that could make him act so different. Maybe she was stronger than he thought.

* * *

There was supposed to be another basketball practice that day, after school, but Sasuke decided not to go. He went to the gym to let his coach know, with the excuse that he wasn't feeling well. For some reason, he wasn't in the mood for practice and just wanted to go home. But, of course, he planned to stop and visit the puppy before returning. Perhaps the person had already replied to his message. So, with that, he headed to that desolate area where the anonymous person kept the small, white dog. Stepping over the uncontrolled growth and debris, he almost inaudibly made his way to that one lifeless building.

"Hehee! Stop, y-you're tickling me!" He instantly heard a faint voice from behind it.

'_It's that person . . .' _The voice was obviously female and very gentle. Sasuke decided to remain hidden so he crept backwards, a safe distance away, and then shifted to a spot with a better view. Poking his head out from behind a faded, rusty car, he saw a sight that left him in shock. It was a familiar, indigo-haired girl with pale violet eyes, sitting comfortably in the grass with the puppy in her lap. The afternoon sun reflected off of her silky hair as she smiled a smile just as bright. The boy's jaw dropped, eyes widened a fraction. _'All this time . . . it was her!?' _

Only his deep curiosity kept him from storming off in complete disappointment and rage. Continuing to watch her, Sasuke stayed out of sight. The dog's white, puffy tail wagged at lightning speed while Hinata stroked its fur affectionately. It rolled over, indicating that it wanted her to rub its stomach next. She giggled and did as he wished while his rambunctious demeanor suddenly became calm and relaxed.

"I'm so glad I have you. Without you and that mysterious person, I'd be all alone." She said tenderly, with a distant gaze, demonstrating her deep thoughts. Sasuke could just barely hear her, but his expression softened a bit. He really had that big of an impact on her when what he did was so little? That lonely look on her face made his insides turn, but as the minutes passed his cold front reappeared and he stalked off toward home. Hinata's head rose in alarm as did the dog's.

"Did you hear that?" she asked. There was no other noise, so she disregarded it and played with the pup some more.

'_I can't believe it. I was exchanging messages with that dumb little girl. What a waste of time.'_ Sasuke stomped down the sidewalk, hands stuffed in his pockets. The only sounds were the heavy bass from a car that drove by and Sasuke's slow footsteps. 'Bmm..BmBmBmmm…' However, they did not deter him from his wandering mind. Just when things were starting to get interesting it had to turn out to be her, out of all people in the town. Waves of thoughts just pounded against his skull. He couldn't believe that he was once interested in her and her actions, when at school, he felt nothing but hatred toward her. Nothing could have bothered him more. For some unexplainable reason, it was only her that made him feel that way.

"Ah, you're home!" his mother greeted with a smile which quickly turned to a worried frown. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

"I'm fine." He barked before heading up to his room and collapsing on his comforter. Open CD cases and magazines were strewn about the floor of his bedroom. The walls were covered in posters of his favorite bands and movies. Staring at the ceiling, he explored his thoughts on the subject. _'Without you and that mysterious person, I'd be all alone.' _Sasuke recalled the words that Hinata had spoken. No one could possibly be _that_ alone, he thought. Not that he would understand, though. He was always surrounded by family or - in the case of school - girls. Many times he felt like he didn't get _enough_ time alone. Such a feeling was foreign to him. If she was so alone, then why didn't she talk to people and make friends? Then it all led back to the reason he was so frustrated with her. He just didn't understand her!

'_Why have I been thinking about her so much lately, anyway? Tsch, it only puts me in a bad mood.' _He rolled over and finally took a nap. The boy hated things he didn't understand and Hinata was definitely on the top of the list.

* * *

Back at the deserted plot, Hinata started to write another note on a piece of paper which she zipped in a plastic bag and hung on the gate.

'_I'm not sure what to name him. What do you think?'_

She was pretty sure that he or she came at night, after she left. They would definitely answer by then, right? She couldn't wait to find out what kind of name they had in store.

* * *

**Will these two ever learn to love? What will Sasuke do, now? Will Hinata's only two friends reduce to one? Follow along and you'll find out! ;) **

**Thanks for your feedback; it's good to know that you like it. Let me know how you feel about this chapter. Too rushed? Too slow? Too confusing? Leave a review and I'll do whatever I can to fix it and continue on in the path that you all want. I appreciate every one of you readers!**


	4. Secrets and Lies

**Sorry about the long absence. I've been worrying about scholarships and just started back to school. Gotta catch up on my fics! .**

**Naruto & Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Secrets and Lies

There were two ways Sasuke could go about this situation: a) suffer a blow to his ego, or b) accept and take advantage of it. If anyone could say that they truly knew Sasuke, they'd know that there was absolutely no way he would choose option 'a'. Of course, he chose to take advantage of being the only one of the two who knew the other's identity. Yes, this was the perfect chance for him to mess with the girl he hated. He could learn about her from the shadows and torment her wherever she was most vulnerable. This would be fun. Maybe even more fun than it was before he knew that she was the 'mysterious other'.

Hinata was disappointed when she got no reply for a week, but figured that the unknown person had things he or she needed to take care of and couldn't visit every day. She continued to take care of her puppy each morning and afternoon, though, feeding and playing with it. To her, it could never get old, for seeing her puppy was the best part of her day. Soon, she knew, the little dog would get bigger and would need more exercise, which would be a problem. How could she take him on walks without being noticed by other people in town? She also wished she could socialize him with other dogs. He'd never even had a bath yet, because she was unsure of how she would do it being in her current position. The girl worried more and more as the days went on. She was concerned that she wasn't really able to take good care of him.

That wasn't all Hinata was worried about. She still felt awkward in class, sitting behind Sasuke Uchiha and fearing that he may try to do something awful again to make her think even less of herself. All of that next week, however, he didn't do a thing. In fact, she was being completely ignored, making her feel on edge. It was as if he was planning something brutal. None of her questions on why he seemed to dislike her could be answered. Hinata had absolutely no clue what his reasons were.

About a week after she left her note, one morning before school, she found that the person had finally replied, which lifted her spirits. It felt like so long since the person had responded, even though in reality, it had only been several days. She hastily tugged open the plastic bag and pulled out the new note. _'I wonder what name they suggested.' _she thought while unfolding the scrap of paper with a smile upon her face, but when she read it, her heart dropped.

'_How about Sasuke?' _It said, sloppily written in red pen.

Really? The name of the boy she didn't like? That name out of all names? What a coincidence . . . well it was somewhat understandable, though, considering that it was a popular name. _'I'd feel bad turning their idea down, but I just can't name him that.' _The girl sighed as a result of being in such a tough spot. She'd waited for days for a reply and it was something that she had to object. So, she hesitantly pulled out a new little sheet of paper and wrote another message.

'_Thank you for your suggestion, but it seems that it is also the name of someone I don't get along with. I'm very sorry.'_

As she zipped it up in the plastic bag, she wondered why they would choose that name out of all names. She thought that maybe it was a girl from her school. After all, a majority of the girls in school loved Sasuke Uchiha. Her lilac eyes traveled to the small, white furball that was fast asleep on its blanket.

"You're such a sweet puppy. You don't want the same name as a cold, bully like him, do you?" she whispered, more to herself than the puppy, and then headed off to school.

* * *

The little dog jumped on the gate, happy to see his second friend again. Sasuke smiled lightly at the dog. "Hey, pup." he greeted, opening the gate. After grabbing the note, he sat against the fence with the puppy. It was a full moon that night, so a bright blue tint reflected off of the paper making it easy for him to read. As he read it, a smug grin formed across his face.

"Heh, someone you don't get along with, eh?" Laughing to himself, he took out his red pen and wrote a response. He decided that he'd continue to write these messages and pretend to be someone else.

"Arf! Arf!" Sasuke rubbed the dog behind its ear with one hand while his pen scratched at the paper.

'_I see. So, this guy - do you hate him?' _he wrote.

This way, he would learn what Hinata truly thought. At school, she never talked and she acted like a saint. Now, he just knew he would reveal the real side of her. This was all just too good. Finally, he wrapped the note back up and hung it on the gate before leaving another bag of dog treats. Sasuke said his goodbyes to the puppy and left, satisfied. Tomorrow, he would find out her answer.

* * *

"Hinata, you seem to be out a lot more lately, and you're daydreaming a lot more than usual." Her sister, Hanabi, finally voiced her concern that same night as she helped prepare dinner. "Is there something father and I should know?"

Hinata jumped slightly and thought of ways to respond. "Ah, well I just joined the, uh, s-student council so I've been staying at school later. It's been p-pretty stressful."

Hanabi eyed her carefully with suspicion. It wasn't like her sister to get involved with such matters, but at least it was a step forward for her. "Well don't push yourself too hard."

"Y-yes."

After dinner, Hinata removed her hair band, slipped out of her clothes, and got underneath the fluffy comforter of her bed, lying there in silence. Just how long could she keep her secret? What would her father say if he found out? Something like, _'You're wasting time with stray animals rather than concentrating on your school!' _She turned toward her moonlit window and wondered if her puppy was sleeping alright and what he would do if she suddenly left him. The girl didn't want to leave him all alone, so she would keep this secret for as long as she could. Her worries kept her up for at least a couple of hours before she was able to drift off to sleep.

* * *

'_I see. So, this guy - do you hate him?' _

Hinata looked up from the note in thought after reading it carefully that morning. She didn't want to think that she hated him. Before, she thought that Sasuke was the one exception - that he was the only person she could hate - but as she contemplated the idea more deeply, she decided that it wasn't hate. So with that, the girl's slender hand reached into her bag for her notebook and blue pen to write a new response.

'_I can't say I hate him. He could be going through a lot that I don't know about, and it could be the reason for his actions. Even if he takes things out on me, I don't think I know him enough to hate him.' _

And her message was true. Granted, she didn't particularly like him and he didn't make her feel any better about herself, but she really didn't hate him. She felt a little embarrassed for venting to someone that she didn't know, but this was her only friend other than her puppy. Tucking the note into the plastic bag and hanging it on the gate, she gave the little dog one last goodbye and reluctantly left again for school.

* * *

"Oh! Hi, Hinata! Are you headed for the library?" Naruto's loud voice echoed through the hallway during lunch the next day, once noticing the books in her arms. Hinata's heart stopped at the sound of his voice, butterflies entering her stomach, as she turned her head toward the blonde-haired boy.

"Y-yes." She squeaked, glancing down at the library books that she was planning to return. The soft-spoken girl's heart pounded harder and harder in her chest to the point that she worried Naruto would hear it. Her gaze darted everywhere but his face.

"Cool, I'm going there too. Sasuke, Sakura and I are going to study for the literature test. You wanna walk with me?" his bright blue eyes scanned her face, seeing the red painted on her cheeks. "Unless you aren't feeling well . . . ?"

"N-no! I'd love to!" Hinata interjected, but then gasped to herself bashfully. She didn't mean to be so blunt, but she had a chance to walk with her crush and she wanted to take it. Naruto's face transitioned from surprised, back to cheerful.

"Haha, well it's good to see you in high spirits today, Hinata!"

"U-un." She clutched the books closer to her chest as she walked toward the library with the boy she liked, not even thinking about the fact that Sasuke would be there too.

Swinging open the library doors, Naruto made his well-known entrance. Many people gave him looks of displeasure, but he didn't seem to notice. Hinata giggled to herself quietly at the goofy boy she admired; However, her laughter was soon setback for she knew she would have to part with him now. He turned to her to see a lonely face.

"Hinata, you're good in literature, aren't you? Why don't you study with us?" he asked, wanting to cheer her up.

"O-oh, no, no, that's okay."

"Aw, come on!" he grabbed her small hand in his and dragged the petite girl toward the other side of the library. The girl felt like her heart might stop at his touch and she briefly observed their intertwined hands. His hand was a lot bigger than hers, she thought, causing her blush to deepen more if that was even possible. Seconds later, she saw Sasuke and Sakura sitting at one of the tables, studying. In an instant, her bashful manner was replaced with a wave of fear.

'_A-ah! I forgot Naruto was friends with Sasuke for a moment. This is bad, I can't study with _him_!' _

Naruto's two friends looked up at the same time. "What took you so long?" asked Sakura, and then her green eyes became softer. "Oh, you brought Hinata!" she smiled. At the mention of her name, Sasuke's face cringed, Hinata noticed. She just wanted to leave, but she couldn't reject Naruto and Sakura's kindness.

"Yep! She's really smart, so she's gonna help us. Right, Hinata?" Naruto turned back to her.

The troubled girl wasn't able to utter a single word so she nodded in response before sitting next to her crush and across from her enemy who didn't so much as look at her. She hoped that she could avoid such pressure and that's why she tried not to stand out, yet she found herself in the exact situation she didn't want to be in. If only it were just Sakura and Naruto . . .

Her mouth became dry and she was afraid that she would not be able to say anything if Naruto had a question. Her palms were sweating and her body was trembling. She just couldn't imagine where she would be a couple of hours from now, because it was as if this moment would never end.

"Can you explain this for me, Hinata?" Naruto asked politely, holding a book out for her to see.

"Ah, y-y-yes. W-when you read a p-passage, y-you have to look f-for the context clues s-so you can interpret the i-implied meaning." She stuttered like crazy and could barely recognize her own voice. Glancing over at Sasuke, she realized that he had been glaring at her before looking back down at his own book. She just wanted to go home, now. _'P-please just let me go home.'_

"I see!" Naruto yelled, getting shushes from people around him.

Sakura studied Hinata's face. "Are you okay, Hinata? You look really pale."

"I'm sorry! It s-seems I'm not feeling well after all. Thank you for i-inviting me to study." She said, clumsily getting up from her seat and bowing. She ran toward the doors and to the girls' bathroom. Naruto and Sakura were left in bewilderment and looked at each other with questionable expressions after she was long gone. Sasuke continued to stare at his book, but wasn't really reading the words.

Last night he'd already read her reply:

'_I can't say I hate him. He could be going through a lot that I don't know about and it could be the reason for his actions. Even if he takes things out on me, I don't think I know him enough to hate him.' _

'_That's bullshit.' _he thought as he sat there. She was really uncomfortable around him and it was obvious. Of course she hated his guts, just like she hated her. All she wanted was to get away from him. Those notes she wrote were all lies. Despite his true thoughts, however, he replied the night before with his fake, kind persona.

'_So that's how it is. You could try talking to him.'_

But she didn't. She ran away again. It was just as he predicted.

* * *

He skipped basketball that day and just left when the bell rang. He had been skipping basketball a lot lately and was thinking about just quitting. His hands were buried in his pockets and he stared at his shadow on the pavement as he walked. It took a while for him to realize there were someone else's footsteps ahead of him, so he raised his head to look. Just his luck. It was Hinata. She'd already noticed that he was walking behind her, but didn't look back, hoping for him to leave. A grin spread across his face as a result of his new idea to toy with her.

Sasuke knew where she was headed and would follow her there. He went a different way so she would think he was gone. When Hinata didn't hear him walking anymore, she let out a long sigh, and continued toward her destination.

The old lot was pretty quiet except when the little white dog saw her coming. He jumped up on the fence, barking, while awaiting her arrival. "Hi, boy! How are you doing?" she sweet-talked him, making him more excited. Her hands worked at the gate so that it may open and the dog bounced into her arms; Its cold, wet tongue met her face.

"Hahaha! S-stop!" The little puppy wriggled in her arms ecstatically until she set him back down on the ground. "Time to eat!" she reached in her bag and fed him some anpan. This was the only time she felt happy and relaxed. Even after such a stressful day with a roller coaster of emotions, she thought that nothing could ruin this moment with her puppy. But as she watched the dog gulp down its food, she heard footsteps in the gravel behind her. Judging by the sound of its gait, it was definitely a guy. Hinata quickly stood up and twisted around like an agile cat, eyes becoming larger when she noticed who it was. Each hair on her back stood.

Sasuke had followed her to her secret 'shortcut'.

* * *

**I hope this chapter made sense. My biggest problem with this story is keeping it from being confusing. So Sasuke knows that Hinata is the 'other person' now and is using his unknown position to tease her, writing notes and seeing how they affect her at school. Now he's followed her and is pretending to have just now found out about her secret when in reality, he already knew and is pretending to be two different people.**


	5. Double Identities

**Thank you all again for reading this fic, I appreciate all of your faves, follows, and reviews! **

**Naruto & Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

* * *

Chapter 5: Double Identities

"What!? You're quitting the basketball team?" The basketball coach's voice caught the attention of everyone in the hallway. Sasuke had stopped him to tell him he was through with basketball. He knew this wouldn't be easy since he's the best on the team, but he found something else to entertain himself so it just wasn't something he really felt like doing anymore.

"Sorry, coach."

"But it's so early in the year!"

"Maybe I'll join again next year. . ." Sasuke said half-heartedly, working to get away and leaving the coach in a distressed state. There was no doubt his team mates were going to do the same so he prepared to hear it from them for the next few days, too.

The stoic boy earned attention from everyone in the hallway without even trying. But he didn't care. His mind went back to last evening's events.

* * *

_After following her to the familiar abandoned lot, he watched as Hinata spun around in surprise. The look on her face when she realized it was him was priceless. She looked like that of a fear-stricken little mouse._

_He was the first to say something. "Eh? What are you doing here?" It may not have looked like it at first glance, but Sasuke was a good actor. The girl didn't say a word, hoping that Sasuke wouldn't notice her puppy, but of course, he did. "Is that your dog?"_

"_P-please, don't tell anyone!" she finally spoke up and he couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction. The boy gradually advanced closer to the girl on the other side of the fence._

_He deliberately spoke in a low and threatening tone. "Oh, so this is your secret?"_

_Hinata's face was overtaken with panic and she searched his eyes through the rusty, wire fence for any hint of humanity. The way the sun shone behind him gave him an intimidating appearance. Sasuke was definitely not someone who could be trusted. He was the last person Hinata would ever trust. There was no way he would keep her secret. What if he reported her puppy to animal control or stole him? Her dog made her days bright and she'd taken care of him for nearly four weeks now, watching him grow little by little. She couldn't let Sasuke take away one of her only friends._

"_Please! I'll do anything!" the desperate girl pleaded, but gasped and quickly covered her mouth after she had said it. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say. Who knows what Sasuke would do? The raven-haired boy stepped even closer and peered at her through the fence, looping his fingers around the rough wire._

"_Oh really? Okay then."_

_The poor girl gulped, heart beating like drums. She expected something horrible to come out of his mouth. Something like '_I want you to be my servant at school._' _

_But instead he said, "Then let me come see him."_

_It took her a moment to process his request. "H. . .huh?"_

"_I want to come see him." He repeated firmly. "Every day."_

_Hinata was hit hard with his statement. '_That's it? He doesn't want to make me his servant? He doesn't want to humiliate me?' _she thought. Her eyes traveled down to her puppy that was barking and wagging his curly tail happily at Sasuke. Her companion seemed to really like him, for some reason._

"_O-okay. . ." the girl replied hesitantly._

"_Good." Sasuke turned and left in the direction of his house. "I'm coming tomorrow."_

* * *

"Sasuke-kuuun!" one girl called his name as he sat in his desk, snapping him back into reality. She trotted over to him and started talking about things he didn't care about. This was the last class before school ended for the day and he was becoming restless. The girl continued to talk nonstop for what seemed like eternity but he just blocked it out like he normally did with everyone else. Catching Hinata walk into the classroom, his gaze followed her as she quietly weaved around the other students in an almost ghost-like demeanor. Not a single person seemed to notice her. The indigo-haired girl had no confidence at all. She was so easy to take advantage of.

"Hello? Sasuke-kun?" the annoyingly talkative girl waved a hand in front of his face.  
"Hm?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to karaoke with me and my friends tonight."

"Sorry. I have plans." The boy replied impassively. So the defeated girl went back to her seat and the teacher started the lesson, finally.

Hinata watched the clouds drift slowly across the blue sky through the window in deep thought. She didn't get much sleep last night, because she couldn't stop thinking about the mess she was in. Why did Sasuke seem to appear everywhere she went? It's like he was trying to squirm his way into her life where she didn't want him. Now she would have to hide the mysterious person's messages until Sasuke left each day and leave it out for them once he was long gone.

She groaned almost inaudibly as her lilac orbs moved to Sasuke's back. That boy just made everything so much harder for her. It's as if it was his job.

As the class went on, worries swished around Hinata's overwhelmed mind. Usually, she looked forward to school being over, but right now, she was extremely nervous. She didn't want to hang around Sasuke any more than she needed to, but this was better than him revealing her most precious secret.

"Make sure to do exercises 6-11 on page 173." The teacher reminded the class before dismissing everyone. Once the class began to stir, Hinata purposefully gathered her books as slowly as possible so that most people left before her, including Sasuke. After making her way out of the room, she spotted Naruto walking toward her.

"Ah, Hinata!" he had a concerned look plastered on his face.

"N-Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed.

"Are you feeling alright? You left the library so suddenly yesterday."

"Oh! I'm sorry a-about that." The girl presented the kind boy with a reassuring smile, "I feel much better, now." But she knew that wasn't true. She felt nauseas.

"Okay! That's good to hear." Naruto patted her head softly causing her to look down at her toes and blush harder and then he left with a wave. The girl's eyes followed him until he was out of sight.

"Naruto-kun. . ." she whispered to herself, "I wish you were the mysterious person."

With a few quiet moments of standing alone in the hall, she decided to finally leave, as well. After changing her shoes at her shoe locker, she stepped outside and was startled to find Sasuke leaning on the brick wall, waiting for her.

When he noticed her, he stood up straight. "Well? Let's go already."

He was going to walk there with her? The thought made her even more uncomfortable. She was scared. The two silently walked side-by-side without even looking at each other. Hinata just kept her eyes on the ground. What was he planning? She wouldn't have guessed he'd want to walk there with her. Well, she wouldn't have guessed he'd want to visit her dog, but it looked like he really did. Still, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. He didn't say a word and there was no expression on his face which only suggested suspicious behavior. _'Let's hurry and get there already! I can't take this awkward silence any longer.' _

Once arriving at the lot, the anxious girl led the way down the narrow, gravel path, Sasuke behind her. Then she heard the barking of the puppy and it sounded like angels from heaven. Now things would be a little less uneasy, at least. She repeated her routine of opening the gate and greeting the canine who was overjoyed to see both of his friends. After welcoming Hinata, it bounded over to Sasuke and pawed at his pants. The boy picked up the little white critter and gently rubbed it behind the ear. It made a pleased face and Hinata watched dumbfounded at this other side of Sasuke. His eyes appeared to be a lot softer as he continued to massage her puppy.

His eyes moved over to her face and quickly became cold again. "So? You going to introduce me?" She jumped slightly and tried to think of what to say.

"U-uh, well . . . he . . . he doesn't have a name yet." The girl replied, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Hn." He returned his gaze back to the puppy. There was a long hush. Only the sounds of the little dog's panting and distant, passing cars could be heard. Even though Hinata was usually very quiet, she couldn't stand the silence when she was around the Uchiha, so she thought of something to say.

"Y-you like dogs?"

"What do you think?"

Her shoulders tensed at his cold manner and she shut up again. She really didn't like him. After a while she remembered that she'd bought some food for her puppy and rummaged through her bag to pull out a container of chicken scraps. Carefully, she held it out to the quiet young man who was now sitting against the fence.

"Do you . . . want to feed him?" _'Anything to lighten the mood, even a little.'_

Taking the container from her he uttered a 'sure' and started feeding the dog one piece of chicken at a time in which it happily accepted. The girl sat against the fence as well, but kept her distance. It astonished her that her puppy liked Sasuke so much, and it astonished her even more that Sasuke seemed so pleasant which was completely different from his everyday self. She brought her knees to her chest and leaned her head on them as she observed. The boy took a whiff of her little friend and wrinkled his nose.

"Jeez, have you ever given this dog a bath?" he made a gagging noise.

"Um. . . well I wanted to, but I'm not sure how I should do it." she explained, "I d-don't have anything to wash him with. There's no water pump or anything around."

"What are you talking about, idiot? I see a pump over there on that old building. All you need is a hose." There was? Hinata blinked, feeling pretty stupid at the moment. He didn't have to say it like that, though. Sasuke let out an irritated sigh, "I'll bring one tomorrow."

"Oh. Thank . . . thank you."

"I'm doing it for the dog."

"Right." _'Please just leave already. . .' _

A while later, he suddenly got up and brushed his pants off. "Bring some stuff to wash him." he commanded before leaving. She couldn't stop thinking about how rude he was. She even almost asked him what it was that made him hate her so much, but she didn't dare take that risk. At last, she could relax. She was sure that the Uchiha was gone, so she got out the note from the other day and read it again to refresh her memory. Before, she wasn't sure of how to reply right away and saved it for later.

'_So that's how it is. You could try talking to him.'_

Hinata flipped the paper over and took out her blue pen. What should she write? Well, she did need help and this was the only person she could turn to.

'_I have, but he's very rude and hard to talk to. He found out about the puppy and now he wants to come here every day. What should I do?' _

Her only choice, now, was to seek help from this person that she didn't know, because who else could she ask? She stared blankly at her writing, tired and confused. This was all too much for her and she couldn't think straight anymore. Leaning back into the grass she placed a hand over her forehead. Her canine friend stood over her and licked her cheek, sensing her stress. The sun was already lowering behind the trees leaving the sky with a beautiful assortment of oranges, pinks and purples.

"I'm sorry I can't take better care of you," she apologized to the puppy, "but I'll always try my best."

* * *

The next morning, Hinata got up an hour earlier than usual so that she had time to make a trip to the store. She bought dog shampoo, a small tin tub to fill with water, and a towel which she had to carry all the way to the deserted lot. The dog tilted its head in curiosity when it saw the girl carrying the tin tub.

"Today's going to be your first bath!" announced Hinata, but the pup, of course, didn't understand a word. She tried to stay in high spirits that day. It was pointless dwelling in the fact that Sasuke would be helping her do it. "Don't worry. I'll make it fun for you."

She set the bath items in the grass and immediately went to check the message for a reply. And there it was. Her large eyes moved in a back-and-forth pattern as she read it over and over.

'_Why don't you tell him what you're thinking?' _

Why didn't she? This person definitely didn't understand how hard it was for her. However, she was very happy that the person took the time to read her messages and give her advice. It was quite a comforting feeling. She felt much less alone when she exchanged notes with this person. When would they meet? She wondered. Ah, but for now, she needed to reply.

'_I wish I could. I'm just a very unconfident person and he is one of the most confident people I've ever met. I want to avoid his hurtful words as much as possible.'_

She wrote with complete honesty in every word. Pondering a bit more, she decided to add one more thing.

'_Thank you for helping me. It means a lot. Maybe we can meet someday?'_

* * *

Hinata felt like she were about to faint at any second. Naruto was holding out a purple flower to her. It was small and not the most intricate flower, but it looked very delicate. "I found this growing in my yard this morning and it made me think of you!" the blue-eyed boy grinned. "You've seemed really down lately and I thought it would cheer you up."

The girl very gingerly took it from his hand and examined it closer, face hot enough to fry up a meal. "I-I-I don't know what to say."

Naruto could tell she was happy to receive it and felt like he accomplished something great.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." She hid her face behind the sleeve of her uniform. He reminded her of the anonymous person who was writing her those messages. What if it _was _him? But then that would be so embarrassing because she vented out all of her problems through those notes.

"Well, I'll see ya later!"

"Y-yes!" The love-struck young girl stood in awe. Was this a dream? She placed her hands on her cheeks to cool them down before walking out of the school. Naruto always knew how to make her feel better. He had no idea how much his kindness affected her.

"You're slow."

As soon as she stepped outside she was greeted with the bitter dusky-eyed boy whose personality contrasted greatly from Naruto's.

"Gomen." she apologized faintly and joined Sasuke toward the normal stop.

This time there was some conversation. "Did you bring the stuff?" he asked.

"Yes, it's t-there already. And you?"

"Dropped it off this morning."

Not too long later, they arrived and immediately got things together to give the puppy a bath. Sasuke dragged the hose to the pump and screwed it in. Hinata took off her sweater, so that she wouldn't have to worry about its sleeves getting wet, and grabbed the other end of the hose, placing it in the tin tub. The squeaking of the rusty faucet resounded through the hose when Sasuke turned it on and eventually, the water came pouring into the tub slowly. The boy made his way over to it while Hinata picked up the puppy after setting the hose on the edge of the tub.

"It's not too cold, is it?" she asked, concerned.

"It should be fine."

So, she placed the canine - who was scared and uncomfortable - into the water resulting in its thrashing about. He was stronger than she thought so when she tried to hold him still, she ended up knocking the hose off from the side of the tub and it sprayed all over her and Sasuke, causing Sasuke to spill some of the open shampoo all over the place.

"Whoa, shit," Sasuke mumbled when the shampoo slipped from his hands.

"Eeep! It IS cold!" squealed Hinata, stiffening at the sensation of the freezing water.

Everything was a mess, like some sort of comedy show with all sorts of things happening at once. The puppy was all wet and miserable, Sasuke and Hinata were soaked, shampoo was spilled everywhere, and the hose was still spraying out water. Watching all of these crazy events unfold, the girl just couldn't contain it anymore. Without warning, she filled the air with wild laughter to the point that tears were forming in her eyes. She almost forgot that she was doing all of this with the boy she never got along with, but then she heard his voice echo in the air as well, and when she opened her eyes, she got a glimpse of Sasuke laughing along with her.

At the moment their eyes met, both realized what they were doing and abruptly stopped laughing, awkwardly looking to the ground. And then, all was silent. Hinata searched the area for the sopping dog who was curled up at the corner of the fence, shivering.

"I'm sorry, boy. I said I'd make it fun for you, but it's all going wrong." She picked him up again and placed him back in the water, holding him still while Sasuke got the shampoo out once more. In the middle of his scrubbing the dog down, his hands suddenly paused, Hinata noticed, so she raised her head to meet his stare. It was a strange expression that wasn't directed at her face. She looked behind her and back at him, waiting for him to say something but he only looked at her oddly.

"What . . . what is it?"

"I can see your bra."

She stared at him for a second more before – "Eh!?" her eyes darted down to her chest and surely, she saw it, clear as day. How stupid of her! She didn't think about the color of her blouse being white! She stood up quickly in embarrassment and grabbed her sweater to shield her chest from sight, avoiding eye contact with him. The girl gave herself a few mental slaps before she kneeled back down to help rinse the pup off, face still red.

Just how much more of this craziness would she be able to handle?

* * *

**I hope you readers enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think. Like what needs work or what I should keep doing. It gives me an idea of how well the story is going and what I should do differently. Thanks!**


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